In more normal times, this weekend might have been the busiest one ever for Hawthorn East wine bar, East End, which counts captain of the Melbourne Demons, Max Gawn, among its owners.
But while Gawn is on the west coast preparing for the biggest game of his life, Demons fans will try and recreate some of the Grand Final buzz back in Melbourne, as East End's owners put on some pre-game entertainment.
This Saturday, the bar is serving takeaway panzerotti, Italian pastry pockets, with names inspired by Gawn and fellow Demons players Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver.
"We're encouraging everyone to come dressed in their colours to do our best to get around the lads and support them from afar," says co-owner Craig Tate.
The pastries, a smaller fried version of calzone, come filled with mozzarella, tomato and basil in the Gawn-inspired Simple Man, pepperoni, mozzarella and tomato in the Italian-leaning 'Trac and with all the trappings of a parma in The Clarry, a nod to Oliver's hometown of Echuca.
A meat pie is also on the takeaway menu for those looking for more traditional football fare, along with tinnies of beer, Spritzes, negronis and wine to-go.
The bar will be serving all food as takeaway items and all drinks in sealed containers, designed for enjoying at home. Masks, check-in codes and social distancing will be enforced.
East End opened in 2019 on the site of a former Youngs Auction Rooms as a partnership between Gawn and Rich Donovan and Craig Tate, who previously owned Saint James cafe.
Sat 25 Sept, 12pm-3pm
East End, 225 Camberwell Road, Hawthorn East, eastendwinebar.com
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